Chaplain Corps and Chief of Chaplains of the Central Intelligence Agency

Section 26 of the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 (50 U.S.C. 3527) is amended to read as follows: 26. Chaplain Corps and Chief of Chaplains (a) Establishment of Chaplain Corps There is in the Agency a Chaplain Corps for the provision of spiritual and religious pastoral services. (b) Chief of Chaplains The head of the Chaplain Corps shall be the Chief of Chaplains, who shall be appointed by the Director and report directly to the Director. (c) Global presence, services Chaplains of the Chaplain Corps shall— (1) be located— (A) at the headquarters building of the Agency; and (B) outside the United States in each region of the regional mission centers of the Agency; and (2) travel as necessary to provide services to personnel of the Agency where such personnel are located. (d) Staff (1) Employees The Chaplain Corps— (A) shall be staffed by full-time employees of the Agency; and (B) shall not be staffed by any government contractor. (2) Service (A) Exclusive role A member of the staff of the Chaplain Corps shall serve exclusively in the member's role in the Chaplain Corps. (B) Not collateral duty Assignment to the Chaplain Corps shall not be a collateral duty. (3) Appointment; compensation The Director may appoint and fix the compensation of such staff of the Chaplain Corps as the Director considers appropriate, except that the Director may not provide basic pay to any member of the staff of the Chaplain Corps at an annual rate of basic pay in excess of the maximum rate of basic pay for grade GS-15 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code. (4) Number of chaplains The ratio of chaplains of the Chaplain Corps to personnel of the Agency shall be, to the extent practicable, equal to the ratio of chaplains of the Armed Forces to members of the Armed Forces. (5) Qualifications of chaplains Each chaplain of the Chaplain Corps shall— (A) before being hired to the Chaplain Corps— (i) have had experience in chaplaincy or the provision of pastoral care; and (ii) be board certified and licensed as a chaplain by a national chaplaincy and pastoral care organization or equivalent; and (B) maintain such certification while in the Chaplain Corps. (e) Administration The Director shall— (1) reimburse members of the staff of the Chaplain Corps for work-related travel expenses; (2) provide security clearances, including one-time read-ins, to such members to ensure that personnel of the Agency can seek unrestricted chaplaincy counseling; and (3) furnish such physical workspace at the headquarters building of the Agency, and outside the United States in each region of the regional missions centers of the Agency, as the Director considers appropriate. (f) Privacy The Director shall implement privacy standards with respect to the physical workspaces of the Chaplain Corps to ensure privacy for individuals visiting such spaces. (g) Protection of Chaplain Corps The Director may not require a chaplain of the Chaplain Corps to perform any rite, ritual, or ceremony that is contrary to the conscience, moral principles, or religious beliefs of such chaplain. (h) Certifications to Congress Not less frequently than annually, the Director shall certify to Congress whether the chaplains of the Chaplain Corps meet the qualifications described in subsection (d)(5)(B)..